2025 Armenian Citizenship by Investment

If you are an Armenian citizen, you can request immediate citizenship for your minor children. However, if you do not live in Armenia, the consent of the child's other parent may be required, and if the child is 14 years old or older, his/her consent is also necessary. Passports for children can be issued without your presence if you provide a power of attorney to your lawyer or other representative in Armenia. Starting in 2018, it became possible for an ethnic Armenian child to obtain Armenian citizenship even if neither parent is an Armenian citizen.

Spouses of Armenian citizens may apply for citizenship if they meet two criteria: the marriage must have been registered for at least two years, and they must have resided in Armenia for at least 365 days during that period. In practice, the application will be accepted if the spouse has maintained an Armenian residence permit throughout this time, regardless of the actual days spent in Armenia.

If you have an adult child who is an Armenian national, you are eligible to apply for citizenship regardless of your marital status. This is a separate legal basis for citizenship application. Note that in certain cases, the Passport Office may require a marriage certificate to establish paternity. Additionally, if one of your parents holds Armenian citizenship, you are eligible to apply for citizenship based on their status, which serves as another legal ground for your application.

Before submitting your application, you must pass a multiple-choice test on the knowledge of the Armenian Constitution. The test consists of 33 questions, and you need to answer at least 17 correctly to pass. If you do not speak Armenian, you may be accompanied by a licensed translator to assist with translating the questions.

The steps, timeline, and required documents will depend on the nature and legal basis of your application. In general, you will need to follow these steps:

Step 1 - Prepare Documents. This step involves obtaining the necessary documents, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, proof of Armenian ethnicity or other relevant documents. These documents may require additional certification such as consular legalization or Apostille. It is also necessary to provide biographical information to complete the required application forms.

Step 2 - Book an Appointment. Currently, the Immigration Office mandates that all appointments be scheduled in advance using an online booking system (https://migration.e-gov.am/en/). The waiting periods for these appointments may range from a few weeks to a few months.

Step 3 - Visit Armenia. For applicants who choose to file their citizenship applications at an Armenian embassy or consular office abroad, the process may take longer as the required documents will have to be sent to Armenia and returned. If you choose to file your application in person at the Passport Office in Armenia, the duration of your stay will depend on your individual circumstances. Typically, a 2-3 day stay in Armenia should be sufficient for the translation of documents and the filing of the application. It is advisable to check the visa requirements for your country and whether an invitation letter is needed before filing your application.

Step 4 - Submit the Citizenship Application. It is required to submit the application in person at the Passport Office. It is recommended to have a lawyer accompany you to ensure a smooth process. Supporting documents must also be submitted at this stage, and it is important to note that if you are applying based on residency or marriage to an Armenian citizen, you will be required to take a test on knowledge of the Armenian Constitution.

Step 5 - Track the Application Status. Once an application for citizenship is submitted, it will usually take up to 90 business days for processing. The application will be evaluated by both the Police and the National Security Service. If these agencies issue a negative opinion, the case will be referred to the Citizenship Committee for further review, which could extend the process to 6 months. If there are any questions or concerns about the documents submitted, the security officers may contact the applicant or their lawyer to request additional information or documents. Once a decision is made, the Passport Office will notify the applicant or lawyer, and it is also possible to check the status of the application online at https://passportvisa.police.am/.

Step 6. Visit the Passport Office. Once your citizenship is granted, you will need to visit Armenia again to apply for and receive your passport and national ID card. This process usually takes 3-8 business days, depending on whether you need to register with the military office and whether you are willing to pay additional fees for expedited services. However, since June 25, 2022, the law now allows first-time applicants to obtain their passports at Armenian embassies/consulates abroad. If you have an obligation to register with the Military Office, it may be more convenient to apply for your passport at an Armenian embassy or consulate.

Step 7. Register with Military Office. If you are a male under the age of 55, it is likely that you will have to register with the military office in Armenia. If you have served in the military of another country, it is recommended that you bring a legalized document (consular legalization or Apostille) confirming this. The military registration process in Armenia usually takes 3-5 days. It may be a good idea to apply for your passport and undergo the military registration process at an Armenian embassy or consulate, even though this will make the process longer.

Step 8. Apply for a Passport and an ID card. Currently, when applying for an Armenian passport, you have the option to choose between a regular passport or a biometric one. The process of obtaining a regular passport may take up to three weeks, unless you opt for a fast-track service which will allow you to receive your passport or ID card on the next business day, or in three to five business days. During this stage, you will also have to register your address, and if you want to register a local Armenian address, you may need to provide proof of residence (such as a lease agreement or owner's consent). It is important to note that the issuance of biometric passports is currently suspended and only regular passports are issued.

Step 9. Take the Oath and Collect the Passport. The applicant will be given a specific date and time (usually at 4 PM) to appear at the Passport Office to collect their passport and ID card. Before receiving the documents, the applicant will be required to sign an oath of allegiance to Armenia.

In addition to the government fees outlined below, it is important to keep in mind that there may be additional expenses associated with the citizenship application process. These can include legal fees, translation and notarization fees, and other costs specific to your case. We recommend contacting us for an estimate of your overall budget.

Military service is mandatory in Armenia for male citizens between the ages of 18 and 27, with a service period of two years. Conscripts are drafted twice a year, in January and July. If you do not wish to serve in the military, it is advisable to wait until after you turn 27 to apply for Armenian citizenship.

Recently, an amendment to the Armenian Law on Military Service has been enacted, expanding the scope of compulsory military service to encompass male individuals aged 27-37 who acquired Armenian citizenship after reaching the age of 27. Under the amended Law, these individuals are now subject to a 12-month mandatory military service obligation if they have not completed any prior military service in any country or if their prior military service in another country was less than 12 months. However, individuals may choose to contribute AMD 2,500,000 (approximately USD 6,200) to the state budget in lieu of fulfilling the service requirement.

Additionally, it is important to understand that acquiring Armenian citizenship does not automatically confer citizenship on minor children. If the other parent of a minor child is not also an Armenian citizen, the child will not become an Armenian citizen upon the parent's acquisition of citizenship. Similarly, a child born after the parent's acquisition of Armenian citizenship will not automatically become an Armenian citizen unless the other parent is also an Armenian citizen.

Individuals between the ages of 27 and 55 who become Armenian citizens are registered in the military reserve and may be summoned for service if mobilization is declared, such as during times of war. However, it is highly unlikely that naturalized citizens who have never served in the Armenian military will be called to duty. Military registration, if required, can take an additional 4-5 business days and may include a medical examination consisting of blood and urine tests, ultrasound, electrocardiography, and a physical examination.

Male citizens under the age of 55 may be required to participate in military training sessions, which usually last up to three weeks. In late 2023, there were instances where citizens newly registered with the Military Office were asked to report for military training. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you check the current practices before traveling to Armenia to complete the military registration and collect your passport. If you are a male applicant under the age of 55, it may be wise to complete the military registration at the Armenian embassy/consulate abroad. Please be aware that the Military Office is capable, at least in theory, of delivering notifications to Armenian citizens who are residing abroad through the use of Armenian embassies and consulates.

Military service evasion is a criminal offense and may result in imprisonment for up to three years. A criminal case can be initiated against individuals who were registered with the military office and were served a notice but failed to report to start their service. In certain circumstances, exemptions from military service are available, such as for individuals with serious health issues or for humanitarian reasons. Dual citizens may also be exempted from military service if they have served in the military of another country for at least 12 months (18 months for alternative service).

If you require further information regarding military service obligations, please do not hesitate to contact us. Additionally, if you are worried about fulfilling military service requirements, you may wish to consider applying for a special passport (special residency status).

Acquiring Armenian nationality should not have any negative tax consequences, as Armenia's tax system is not based on citizenship. However, if you are a foreign employee or private entrepreneur working in Armenia, obtaining Armenian citizenship may trigger obligations to make social and military contributions.

It is important to note that acquiring Armenian citizenship does not automatically make you a "tax resident." Tax residency is regulated by tax laws, not immigration laws. Becoming a tax resident of Armenia usually requires spending more than 183 days in the country within a year. This means that it is possible to be an Armenian citizen without becoming a tax resident, and vice versa.

Armenia generally does not impose taxes on capital gains from the sale of securities, real estate, or other assets, regardless of where these gains are generated. Certain types of income, such as insurance and pension payments, are also exempt from taxes. Additionally, there are no taxes on gifts, inheritance, or net worth. 

Tax residents are generally required to pay taxes on global income at flat rates—20% on business income, 10% on interest, and 5% on dividends. However, Armenia has double taxation agreements with approximately 50 countries, which can significantly reduce tax liabilities for foreign income.
For individuals who do not meet the 183-day residency threshold but still wish to establish tax residency in Armenia—possibly due to substantial personal or business connections that centralize their economic interests in the country—they may apply for a tax residency certificate.

Applicants are typically notified of the rejection by text message, which does not provide the specific reasons for the rejection. The government has the authority to reject a citizenship application without providing any reasons, according to the law. The National Security Service is responsible for making decisions on applications, and they may reject an application if they believe it could endanger national security, public order or health, or the rights and liberties of others, as stated in Article 13 of the Citizenship Law. However, this agency is highly secretive and does not report to the Passport Office, so it is not possible to know the specific reasons behind a rejection without going to court.

If your application is rejected, you have two months to appeal the decision in court, but you will need to obtain a copy of the rejection decision from the Passport Office before filing the appeal.

If your application for citizenship is rejected, you may reapply after one year.

Before Armenia legalized dual citizenship in 2005, many ethnic Armenians obtained special passports to avoid renouncing their existing citizenship. Even today, some foreigners prefer to apply for special residency instead of becoming full citizens, often due to concerns about military service.

The special residence permit is valid for 10 years and can be extended indefinitely, and allows the holder to live, work, study, and engage in any other lawful activity in Armenia without additional paperwork. One notable advantage of the special passport is that its holder can own agricultural and other land directly in his/her own name, without the need to establish a legal entity. The special residence permit looks different from temporary/permanent residence permits as it is issued in the form a passport, not a card. Special passports are typically issued to ethnic Armenians, but in some exceptional cases, non-Armenians engaged in economic or cultural activities in Armenia may also be eligible. Children under 16 can also get special passports. The time required to obtain a special passport is around 60-90 days. Unlike applying for citizenship, you can apply for a special passport through a representative by granting them a power of attorney.

Individuals of Armenian descent/origin can also qualify for temporary and permanent residence permits. Some ethnic Armenians may prefer a residence permit over citizenship, particularly if it is difficult to produce a legalized birth certificate. Additionally, obtaining a residence permit rather than citizenship can help individuals avoid registering with the military office or avoid having to renounce their current citizenship, particularly if their country of origin does not allow dual citizenship.